An Unnatural Journey
by Repicheep22
Summary: An Unnatural Series of Events Vol. 2 - Cedrak seeks to find Lestra and the Toa who have taken her away. As he travels, he makes new friends, as well as new enemies. Will he find acceptance when those he wants to help are determined to hate him?
1. Unusual Encounters

Trell waved goodbye as he left his friend's house. The wooden door clicked behind him as he turned to head home.

The suns were setting in the west, casting its pastel pigments on the eastern mountains. The snowy peaks glowed in shades of pink and orange so vivid, they made Trell stop and stare for a few moments.

"I could never grow tired of this," said the Ko-Matoran. He watched as the shadow of night crept up the mountains, and just as they became engulfed in twilight, the tallest peak shone with the radiance of a hundred stars.

He sighed as he continued on his way home. Under his arm, he carried a small box, covered in white and black squares. As he walked, a faint clattering could be heard emanating from the box. It was a chehs game.

He thought back over the day as he shifted the weight in his arms. Today being both their day off of work, Trell had figured this would be the perfect time to teach his friend Zorkek how to play chehs, a strategy game that he adored. They had gotten through three games over the course of the day. Trell had won the first two, but Zorkek had gotten lucky and beaten him the last time."

"Beginner's luck," he thought as he turned a corner. "I'll beat him next time."

As he continued on his way home, he passed a dark alleyway. Too late, he saw a pair of arms reaching out towards him. One hand clasped over his mouth as the other arm wrapped around him waist. He was pulled back into the alley, barely managing to hold onto his chehs board.

The arms pulled him up against a strong armored body, and he was rushed further into the dark. After a few moments, he was set down on a wooden crate, but the arms continued to hold onto him.

"Listen carefully," said a voice behind him. "I don't want to hurt you, but if you go running out into the street when I let you go, I'll have to. Alright?"

Trell nodded, trying not to shake in fear.

"Okay," said the voice.

The hands slowly removed themselves from his body. Trell turned around to see his kidnapper, but his face and most of his body were hidden by a long cloak.

"Listen," said the figure, "All I need is information. If you can supply it to me, I'll let you go."

"And if not?" asked Trell.

"If not " The figure reached into his cloak and pulled out a bow, an arrow notched in the string.

"If you really don't know, then I'll let you go, but," he pulled the string taunt, "if you try to be difficult, well "

Trell gulped. "O...okay then," he stammered, "what do you need t...to know?"

The figure replied, "A group of Toa passed through this city. They're my friends, and I need to know where they went."

Trell thought for a moment, trying to keep the fear off his face. "I think I might have seen some foreign Toa a few days ago, but I couldn't tell you where they went."

The figure kneeled in front of him, and though he could not see his eyes, he could practically feel them, boring into his skull.

Finally, the figure stood up and sighed. His grasp on his bow slacked as his head drooped in disappointment.

"Thank you, friend," he said, his voice heavy. He sat down on another crate, "you can go now."

Trell moved to leave, but something stopped him. Somehow, he felt like this being had grabbed him out of desperation, not out of any misplaced motives. He turned and looked the figure up and down. Though he could not see much, due to the cloak, he could tell this was no warrior. Trell had met many warriors in his time, and none of them had ever seemed this distraught. As hard as it was for him to believe it himself, he felt pity towards this being.

The being looked up at him. "Well, what are you waiting for?" he asked. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Actually, no, I don't," said Trell. "I just well, it's not every day you get kidnapped by someone who just lets you go."

The being sighed, "Yes, I do apologize for that. I was afraid that if I had just come up and asked you, that you'd just run off."

"And why's that?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Why not? I promise I won't run away."

The being just sat there for a moment. Finally, he reached up and removed his hood. Underneath, a white armored head glistened in the starlight. A pair of orange eyes glowed on a face that spoke of terrible loss. But that's not what shocked Trell the most. At first, he just stared at the being before him.

The being turned toward Trell. "Yes, I'm a Skakdi. Go ahead, run, scream, get a Toa, lock me up. Ugh," he rested his head on his hands, "I hate myself."

"Whoa, whoa, hold on. I said I wouldn't run, didn't I? And even if I hadn't, why would I? You haven't exactly done anything to me."

The Skakdi turned to the Matoran. "Right, Ko-Matoran, always the logical ones."

Trell smiled. "By the way," he said, extending his fist, "I'm Trell."

The Skakdi returned the gesture and replied, "I'm Cedrak."

* * *

"Okay, the coast is clear," said Trell, as he beckoned for Cedrak to follow. The two beings made their way down the cobblestoned street. The wooden homes and shops they passed were silent at this hour, as most everyone was asleep. Occasionally, they would come across a lit window and go around it so as to stay out of the light.

"Are you sure about this?" said Cedrak. "I don't want to be the reason you get in trouble."

"Don't be ridiculous," Trell replied. "I can't just leave you out here in the cold."

They stopped as Trell peered around the next corner.

"Okay," he said, "just two more blocks and we're home."

"Halt!" called a voice behind them. Trell turned to see a Toa approaching. "Oh boy," he thought.

"Oh, hello Toa," said Trell, his voice catching slightly.

"And what are you doing out this fine evening, my friend?" asked the Fire Toa, a hint of sarcasm on his voice.

"I, uh, I spent the day at a friend's house and didn't see how late it was," Trell replied. "Does he not see the Skakdi standing next to me?" he wondered.

"Well, I'll let you off with a warning this time," said the Toa. "Just be sure to have a lightstone with you next time you're out after dark." The Fire Toa turned on his heel and continued marching down the street.

Trell breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to Cedrak and saw he was gone. He looked around wildly, trying to find his companion, when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Trell yelped as he jumped to one side.

"Oh, sorry," said a voice. The air beside him began to coalesce, and Cedrak, wrapped in his cloak, became visible.

"How..." Trell began.

Cedrak answered the understood question. "The cloak allows me to turn invisible."

"Where did you get that?"

"It was a gift."

"From who?" asked Trell, intrigued by the unusual cloth.

"I'll tell you later. Let's go before anyone else shows up."

"Oh, right."

The two beings followed the road for a few more blocks. Trell stopped in front of a particular house.

"Here it is," he said, as he opened the front gate, "home sweet home."

Though it was dark, Cedrak could make out a few details about the Matoran's front yard. A cobblestone path led from the front gate to the door of the home, and on both sides, a small yard of well-kept grass reached around the house. A few plants grew in a small garden bed on the left side of the path.

Trell led him up to the front door and pulled a key from his pack. He unlocked the door and entered the house; Cedrak had to bend over to fit through.

As he closed the door, Cedrak heard Trell feeling around on the table next to the entrance. As Trell pulled the cover off a lightstone, Cedrak stood still for a moment, blinking as the light flooded into his eyes. However, they soon adjusted to the light.

At the back of the room, he could see Trell stocking his fireplace. A pair of padded chairs and a small table stood facing the fireplace. On the right side of the room, Cedrak could see a staircase, leading, no doubt, to a second story. On the left side of the room, there was a door.

Trell motioned for Cedrak to sit down as he said, "Let me get you something warm to drink."

As Trell went out the side door, Cedrak hung his cloak on the back of the chair and sat down. He had just settled in when he heard a noise behind him. He got up to investigate, but then realized that the noise was coming from his cloak.

He shook his head as he removed a small box from his cloak's pocket. "I almost forgot about you," he said.

"Forgot about who?" asked Trell, emerging from the next room, which now revealed itself to be the kitchen. In his hands, he held two mugs that emitted thin wisps of steam.

"I probably should have told you this earlier, but, uh, I brought someone else with me."

Trell set the mugs down and looked at his friend questioningly. "And he's in the box?" he asked.

"Yes, well, see for yourself."

He handed the box to Trell, who opened it cautiously. Inside, a Brakas monkey lay sleeping, yawning every so often as he shifted in his sleep.

"Aw, he's cute," said Trell. "What's his name?"

"I call him Tahlis," said Cedrak as he removed his pet from the box. "I found him injured one time, and after healing him, he stuck around with me."

"How'd you get him to stay asleep for so long?"

"I drugged him." When Cedrak saw the look on Trell's face, he said, "Yeah, I know a bit about herbs and such. Someone...taught me."

Sensing that he should probably not push the issue any further, Trell handed Cedrak his mug. "I'm afraid I don't have a bed your size," he said.

"This chair will work just fine," said Cedrak. "You should probably close the shutters, though."

"Good idea." Trell moved to the windows and latched the shutters in place. He turned to his friend. "You must be pretty tired, so I'll let you rest. We can look for your friends tomorrow."

"Thanks for letting me stay, Trell," said Cedrak. The Ko-Matoran nodded as he walked up the stairs.

Cedrak sat down once more and turned towards the fire, his face again drawn with unease. He stroked Tahlis' back as he stared into the flames.

"Yes," he murmured, "we'll look for my friends."


	2. The Adventure Begins

The woods were deep in darkness. The trees stretched on for what seemed an eternity. Cedrak sat by his fire, warming his hands.

"Cedrak." A voice floated in through the trees. He looked up, unsure if it was not just some trick of his mind.

"Cedrak! I'm over here!" There it was again. He walked away from the fire, trying to find the source.

"Cedrak, help me!" He looked this way and that; the voice seemed to be coming from everywhere.

"Cedrak, help!" Then he realized, it was her.

He broke into a run. "Cedrak, please!" He ran as though a thousand Visorak were behind him.

"Cedrak!" The voice was louder now, but still, it came from everywhere.

"Cedrak, help!" The voice echoed through the trees.

"Cedrak, help me!" The night reverberated with the voice, its echoes coming from everywhere.

Cedrak tripped and fell into the dirt. He jerked his head upright, whirling it back and forth. Finally, as the echoes continued to call to him, he lay his head down and cried.

Suddenly, the echoes stopped. He looked up and saw a figure lying before him. He crawled over to it and rolled the body over.

"No," he said, "no, it can't be! NO!"

* * *

Cedrak awoke screaming. He stopped, his breathing coming in ragged gasps. Tahlis jumped up onto his master's lap and looked up at him, concern written on his features. Cedrak stroked his back, and the monkey purred contentedly.

"It's alright, Tahlis," whispered Cedrak. "Just a bad dream."

"Cedrak?" came a voice from behind him. He turned and saw Trell standing on the stairs.

"Are you alright?" asked the Matoran.

"Yeah, just had a bad dream," said Cedrak.

"Care to tell me what it was about?" asked Trell as he sat in the other chair. "I'm no seer, but I've interpreted some dreams before."

Cedrak shook his head. "No thanks, I think I know what "

A knock at the door interrupted him. The two beings exchanged glances and jumped into action. Cedrak grabbed Tahlis and threw on his invisibility cloak. Trell waited until Cedrak was completely transparent before opening the door.

"Hey Trell," said a voice on the outside. Cedrak could not see who it was, due to the light streaming in, but as Trell's face visibly relaxed, he knew that he probably had nothing to worry about.

"Hi Zorkek," said Trell, "what brings you here?"

"Well, after you left last night, I found a couple chehs pieces you left behind. I thought I'd bring them by on my way to work."

"Thanks, I -"

"Hey!" said the other voice, "where'd you get that?"

As Cedrak watched, a Pakari-wearing Po-Matoran darted into the room and, to his horror, made straight for his bow.

Cedrak cursed under his breath as Zorkek began examining the weapon that leaned against the chair he had slept in.

"Oh, uh..." Trell's Komau showed that he was equally as dismayed as Cedrak.

But before the Ko-Matoran could say anything, Cedrak had picked up Zorkek by the back of his neck, turned visible, and said, "That's my bow, thank you very much. And I'd appreciate if you left it alone."

Zorkek yelped as he dropped the bow and hid behind one of the chairs. "What's he doing here?" asked the startled Matoran.

Trell looked at Cedrak, who nodded, and said, "Zorkek, this is Cedrak. He's a friend of mine."

"Really, wow!" said Zorkek as he hopped out from behind the chair. "I'm Zorkek," he said, extending his fist, "and any friend of Trell's is a friend of mine."

"Zorkek's the trusting sort," said Trell, a knowing look in his eyes, "perhaps a bit too trusting."

"Hey, if it weren't for me, we never would have gotten that old Vortixx to take us into those ruins," said Zorkek.

"Yes," Trell replied, "and we also wouldn't have gotten our packs ransacked by our guide and then abandoned in a nest of Nui-Jaga."

"Hey, we got some cool carvings out of the deal, didn't we?"

Trell rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Sorry for startling you like that," said Cedrak.

"Hey, I've been scared much worse than that before. There was one time, when we went up into the mountains -"

"Let's not go there," Trell interrupted.

Cedrak chuckled as the two friends bickered.

"So anyway," Cedrak butted in, ending the heated discussion, "Trell and I were about to go out and look for some friends of mine. Actually, to try to find where they went."

"Well, actually Cedrak, I have to go to work," said Trell. "I was thinking we could look this evening, after I'm back."

"Oh come on, Trell," said Zorkek, "you haven't taken a sick day in 400 years. You deserve a break."

After a bit of thought, Trell replied, "Well, okay, I guess one more day off can't hurt."

"So," said Cedrak, "where would we go to find out where someone went?"

"Simple," said Trell, as he headed for the door, "customs."

The streets were bustling with Matoran as the three cohorts made their way down the streets. From the shops that lined the lane, voices could be heard, advertising the wares within.

"Fresh Ruki! Best in Anzer Rhun!"

"Jewelry, selling jewelry here!"

"Lightstones! Straight from the Great Kereph Mine!"

"New Kanohi! Buy a new Kanohi!"

"This is impressive," said the invisible Cedrak. "I had no idea Anzer Rhun was such a busy town."

"It's a merchant city," replied Zorkek. "We get a lot of travelers here."

"Which might make finding your friends more difficult, I'm afraid," continued Trell.

Eventually, they had found their way to Anzer Rhun's western gate.

"Are you sure they came through this gate?" asked Zorkek.

"If they came from the eastern woods like me," said Cedrak, "then they were headed in the opposite direction. So they went west."

Trell nodded in agreement as they entered the customs office. Cedrak stayed outside, not wanting to draw attention to himself.

He sat down on a crate, and thought, "I hope I'm right." He stared out over the wall and into the woodlands. "Lestra," he thought, "I promise I'll find you."

Within a few minutes, the Matoran emerged from the customs office.

"Good news," said Trell, "your hunch was right."

"You're sure it's them?" asked Cedrak.

"Positive," said Zorkek. He held up a slip of parchment. "Here's a copy of the official report. 'Third month, day 24, 8:43 BN, three Toa left at West Gate. Names: Onric, Lestra, Koth. Destination: Zeriger." He looked up from the parchment. "Why would they be going there?"

"They're going to their home island," replied Cedrak as they walked back the way they had come.

"So their islanders?" asked Trell. "We don't get many of those this far into the continent."

"Well, they've been traveling for a while. So they're a good ways from home."

"I see," replied Trell.

For the rest of the day, Cedrak and the Matoran got him ready to leave. They chatted and laughed as they filled Cedrak's pack. As evening approached, Cedrak found that he somewhat reluctant to leave. It had been a long time since anyone had shown him such genuine hospitality.

Finally, as darkness fell over Anzer Rhun, Cedrak peered out of Trell's house. The sky was dark and full of clouds.

"Perfect," he thought.

He was just about to leave, when he felt a hand on his arm. He turned and saw Trell and Zorkek dressed in cloaks of their own, with a set of bundles on their backs.

"Cedrak," said Trell, "we're coming with you."

"What?" asked the Skakdi.

"You heard right, pal," replied Zorkek. "Can't have you traipsing through the woods all on your own, can we?"

"It'll be dangerous," said Cedrak.

"We know," said Trell.

"It'll be rough."

"Uh huh," said Zorkek.

"And we might not come back for a long time."

"For a friend," said Trell, "we're willing to take that risk."

Cedrak's voice caught slightly as he said, "Thank you, my friends. Now, are you with me?" He held out his fists.

The Matoran returned the gesture. Zorkek smiled, "Let's go."

The three companions slipped through the streets of Anzer Rhun, keeping to the shadows and watching for any guards that might stop them.

Eventually, they arrived at the western wall. Cedrak pulled a rope from his pack and clicked to Tahlis.

The monkey climbed up onto his shoulder, grabbed one end of the rope, and clambered over the stone wall. A few moments later, his head reappeared over the top.

"Come on," said Cedrak. He grabbed the rope and began to climb. Once he reached the top of the wall, he let go and slid down the other side, rolling to a stop at the bottom. The Matoran quickly followed suit.

"Wait a second," said Trell, "how did the rope stay put?"

Cedrak moved to the base of a nearby tree to reveal the rope tied snugly around the trunk.

"Your monkey can tie knots?" asked Zorkek.

"Sure can," replied Cedrak, as he rolled up the rope. "You'd be amazed at some of the stuff he can do."

He picked Tahlis up and placed him on his shoulder. After making sure that his bow was still strung tightly, Cedrak motioned for them to get going.

After a moment, Cedrak said, "I forgot to ask you. What weapons did you bring?"

Zorkek produced a set of claws from his cloak. "I brought my shredder claws," he said.

"And I've got a launcher and some Kanoka," said Trell.

"Good," said Cedrak, "we might need them."

"So what's the plan?" asked Zorkek.

"We travel by night, rest by day," said Cedrak, "and hopefully, we'll catch up with the Toa."

"And what happens when we find them?" asked Trell.

Cedrak stopped walking as a look of uncertainty crossed his face. Finally, he looked at his companions and said, "I guess we'll figure that our when we get there."


	3. Secrets Revealed

Deep in the western woodland, three Toa could be seen walking. One, a Toa of Fire, lead the group, his face hard and grim. A Toa of Stone walked behind him, using his power to play with the pebbles that dotted the dirt path. And behind him, a Toa of Lightning trudged down the path, with a face that said she had no more tears to cry.

The Toa of Fire looked up at the sky; it was getting dark.

"We'll stop here," he said, as he stepped off the path. He quickly made a small clearing by means of his Kanohi Matatu and turned to the Stone Toa.

"Koth, go find some fire wood."

The Toa of Stone nodded, activated his Kanohi Kakama, and zoomed off into the woods.

The Fire Toa reached into his pack and removed his mat.

After rolling it out on the ground, he looked at his other companion, he asked, "Lestra, do you "

"No," she replied as she sat on a log, "I don't feel 'better.' Nothing is wrong with me. Nothing was ever wrong with me. And if you ask me that one more time, so help me Onric, I'll " Her voice trailed off. "He wasn't evil," she said.

Onric's face slowly clinched even as his fists began to glow with flames. "I don't know how much more of this I can take, Lestra," he said, his voice muffled by his clinched teeth. "Either snap out of it, or I'll do it for you."

"Whoa, easy there, fire-spitter," said Koth as he walked back into the clearing. "Let's think like a Ko-Matoran for just a moment. She's not trying to run off, so we'll get her back to Tedra Nui." He set the wood in a pile. "If something is wrong with her," he continued, "and she doesn't snap out of it before we get home, then Turaga Uren can look into her mind and figure out what's wrong. And if nothing is wrong with her, then all the arguing in the world won't fix her."

Onric set the wood ablaze. "But he was a Skakdi," he said, seemingly oblivious to Lestra's presence, "everyone knows they can't be trusted."

"If everyone 'knew' that the sky was made of stone, would that make it true?" asked Lestra. "You never talked to him, you never listened to him. You just rushed in -"

"Enough!" cried Onric, the fire leaping even higher. "I can't take this anymore. I'm not having this conversation again. What's done is done. Deal with it!"

With a huff, he rolled over on his mat.

Lestra rolled out her mat and lay down for the night. She closed her eyes, hoping sleep could give her rest from the emptiness she felt inside. But as she drifted off to sleep, she found no such rest in the realm of dreams.

* * *

She stood in a void; all around her, darkness swirled in a silent storm. As she looked on, she saw a light. It grew bigger and brighter, and as she stared into the glow, she saw a figure sitting on a stone.

At first, she could not tell who it was, but soon, it became clear.

"Cedrak!" she cried. The figure looked up, as though unsure if he was truly hearing correctly.

"Cedrak! I'm over here!" she called. He got up, looking around, as though he could not tell from where the voice came.

Suddenly, she felt herself being pulled backwards. She looked back and saw a monster, wreathed in flame, dragging her away.

"Cedrak, help me!" she cried. Still, he seemed unable to tell where she was.

"Cedrak, help!" she called again, struggling against the monster.

At last, she saw him begin to run. But no matter how fast he ran, he seemed only to get farther away.

"Cedrak, please!" she cried, desperation on her voice.

"Cedrak!" Her voice seemed distant to her now, as though her voice was coming from somewhere else.

"Cedrak, help!" Suddenly, she felt her captor let her go. As she collapsed to the ground, she saw him running towards Cedrak, his fiery sword held high.

"No!" she cried, as the Skakdi stumbled and fell. "Nooo!"

* * *

Lestra sat up, breathing heavily. In the dim light of the dying fire, she could see her two brothers, both still asleep. Lestra lay back down as new tears dripped down her mask.

"Cedrak," she whispered, "Why? Why?"

* * *

As he and his companions continued down the path, Cedrak looked up at the sky. The suns were rising over the eastern mountains, and the shadow of twilight was quickly vanishing. He turned to the two Matoran.

"I think it's time we rested," he said.

"I agree," Zorkek yawned, "I haven't been this tired since the time Trell and I stayed up all night trying to catch glow-frogs."

"I can still feel the places where they squirted me," said Trell. "Sometimes, I can't figure out why I listen to you."

The three travelers moved off the path and into the woods. They lit no fire, for they did not want to be discovered, and besides, the air was getting warmer by the minute.

Zorkek quickly dozed off in a patch of sunlight, while Cedrak and Trell lay awake, staring at the sky.

After a while, Trell spoke up. "Cedrak?" he asked.

"Hmm?"

"You know, you still haven't told us why you're following these Toa."

"They're my...they're my friends. I'm just trying to catch up with them."

"Somehow I don't believe you. Every time you call them your friends, you hesitate, as though there's something about them you'd rather forget."

Trell raised himself up on his elbows. "Why are you following them?"

Cedrak stared back up at the clouds.

After a moment, he replied, "Well, you came with me without knowing why, it's only fair that I tell you." He sighed and said, "I'm in love."

Trell's eyes widened in surprise. "In love?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm in love with a Toa, and I'm trying to find her."

Trell lay back down in the grass, a look of astonishment on his face. Finally, he asked, "Then why is she going with those other Toa?"

"Because she thinks I'm dead."

Trell sat up, growing more confused by the moment. "Why would she think that?"

"Because she saw her brother kill me."

Trell shook his head, trying to make sense of what he was hearing. "Maybe you should start at the beginning."

Cedrak slowly sat up and rested his head on his knees. "If you insist, the beginning it is."

"I, like every other Skakdi, came from Zakaz. But when Spiriah showed up, I wanted nothing to do with him. My friend Arina and I ran from the island, but she was captured before we could make it out. No doubt she doesn't even remember me now," he sighed.

"I escaped and lived with a team of Toa on an island called Veta Nui, but after a few years, I was kidnapped by Skakdi and forced into one of the warlord's service. They would have made me like one of them, had the Toa Veta not broken me out.

"I stayed with them again for a little while, but I knew the Skakdi would be back for me, so I left. Since then, I've been travelling, trying to do good, and stay hidden at the same time.

"Then, just a few days ago, I met Lestra. She was being attacked by blood wolves, so I saved her, and we ended up travelling together for a couple of days. I realized there was something special about her, but I couldn't tell just what. Then, on the night we kissed, I knew what it was. I had found someone who could fill the empty place in my heart.

"But the next morning, her brothers, who she had been spent fifty years searching for, stumbled upon us. It was terrible; Onric tried to kill me, and Koth just stood by and watched. Finally, Onric dealt me a mortal wound, and left me for dead.

"I could feel myself slipping away, but something brought me back. I don't know how long I was unconscious, but when I woke up, there was no one around. That night, I found my way to Anzer Rhun. Since it was the closest town around, I knew they would be going through there. Then, I met you and Zorkek, and here we are."

Cedrak's orange eyes rested on Trell's astonished face. "Still want to come with me?" he asked.

"Do I? Well That is I, uh Yes, yes I do. Look," Trell shifted his gaze, away from the Skakdi, "I might seem like a typical Ko-Matoran. You know, logical, stuffy, unexciting. But you know why I get along with Zorkek so well? It's because I've dreamed of something like this all my life, a chance for adventure, a chance to see the world. When you came along, I saw you as a ticket out of the daily grind. But now " he sighed, "I guess what I mean is, you are my friend, and I want to help you. For better or worse, I'll be here."

"Thanks, Trell," said Cedrak, "I'm glad I kidnapped you."

The two of them burst out laughing and inadvertently awakened Zorkek.

"What's so funny?" he asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Still chuckling, Trell turned to his friend and said, "Oh nothing."


	4. A Toa's Remorse

Far to the west, in the port city of Zeriger, Onric, Koth, and Lestra entered through the eastern gate.

Onric approached the customs office and upon entering, said to the Matoran secretary, "We need to know if there's a ship leaving for Tedra Nui," said Onric.

"Slow down, fire-spitter," said Koth, "let's find an inn first, I think we could all use a rest."

"For once, you're right, Koth," said Onric. He turned to the secretary again and said, "Are there any inns with available rooms?"

The Ga-Matoran secretary turned to the board that sat behind her. After consulting the inscriptions, she turned back and said, "There are three rooms available at the Galloping Gafna, or would you prefer something closer to the harbor?"

Koth shook his head. "The Galloping Gafna sounds fine." He turned to the other two. "Shall we?"

The streets of Zeriger were crowded with races of all kinds. Vortixx jostled for space with Matoran. Aviena flew overhead, while Aquaton squirmed through the masses. Toa and Steltians pushed past each other, as they tried to reach their destinations.

The Toa made their way to the Galloping Gafna, which was locating near the center of the city. As they entered, they saw the main room was bustling with beings of all races. They approached the front desk and were greeted by a female Aviena. Her wings flapped lazily as her bird-like face bent into a pleasant smile.

"And how can I help you three Toa?" she asked.

"We're looking for some rooms for the night," said Onric.

"Well, we have three available, would you like one for the lady and one for you two males?" asked the Avniena.

"That would be fine," replied Onric.

"Then, let me have your names, please."

As the secretary jotted down their names, she produced a pair of keys from under her desk.

"Thank you, your rooms are on the second story," she said.

The Toa walked up the stairs and down the hall, finding their rooms at the end of the hallway. Lestra took her key and entered her room. Onric and Koth entered their own room, which was directly across the hall.

Onric placed his sword on the table and sat down on one of the beds. Koth peered out the window, looking out over the city. Zeriger's skyline looked much like its population: haphazard. Buildings of all shapes and sizes stretched towards the sky. Cables and shafts stretched between the buildings making the city look like some gigantic, chaotic spider web. Airships and flying beings crisscrossed the sky, like Nui-Rama buzzing around their hive.

Koth turned back to Onric and said, "I'm going to see if Lestra's okay."

Onric simply nodded as his brother left the room. Koth crossed the hall and knocked on Lestra's door, as he said, "Lestra, it's Koth. Can I come it?"

After a moment, the door unlatched and opened, and Koth stepped inside.

Lestra closed the door behind him. "Well, what do you want?" she asked, sullenly.

Koth sighed as he said, "Lestra, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry that Onric hurt you and I did nothing to stop him." He sighed, "I'm sorry that we had to find you at that exact moment. Maybe if, if we'd come across you at some other point, we could have talked Onric out of it."

Lestra began to sob. "Oh Koth, why did this have to happen?"

The Stone Toa wrapped her in a hug as she buried her head in his shoulder. "I don't know, Lestra. But you're my sister, and the last thing I want to do is hurt you, but you know how Onric is."

Lestra smiled, "I do. Do you remember the time he walked into a Burnak trap?"

Koth laughed, "He almost burned down the half the forest trying to get out."

He thought for a moment. Placing his hands on her shoulder, he said, "I can't possibly know what you're going through, Lestra, but I do know that sitting up here and moping isn't going to help it. You know what? I think I saw some entertainers in the common room."

He looked down at his sister, "Care to come with me?"

"Sure, Koth, lead on."

* * *

Dawn was just breaking over the mountains while a Skakdi and two Matoran emerged from the woodlands. Before them, the southern continent's coastal plain stretched out before them, and right on the horizon, they could see a glimpse of the ocean.

"Hey guys," said Cedrak, "can you see that over there?"

The two Matoran looked where their friend was pointing.

"I see a white blur near the ocean," said Trell. "What is it?"

"That's the port city of Zeriger," said Cedrak, setting his monkey on his shoulder, "made famous for its giant beacon. It's one of the few places I've been where I don't need to be worried about being seen."

"Why's that?" asked Zorkek as they began to trek over the plain.

"Zeriger has an aggression code, meaning you can't be arrested just because you look suspicious. You have to have actually done something."

"Sounds like you could get away with anything as long as no one saw you," said Trell.

"Well, they have ways of seeing you even when they're not around," said Cedrak. "No one's sure how, but some say it has to do with the beacon."

"How does that work?" asked Zorkek, as the road turned down a steep hill.

"Well," replied Cedrak, trying to keep his footing, "the Zeriger Beacon does pretty much what its name suggests; it warns ships of the rocky cliffs in foggy weather. But, the beacon was there long before the city was built. And even before this area was settled, it shone, without anyone to manage it. Legend has it that it was built by an ancient race called the Vehle. But the beacon seems to be almost sentient in nature and can tell people where a crime is being committed. They describe it as a sudden urge to go somewhere, and the population learned long ago to listen to those urges, as they are almost always right. For this reason, it's also called the Beacon of Truth."

"Wow," said Trell, "that's quite impressive."

"Sure is," Cedrak replied. "Hey, once we're inside," he continued, "I've got someone I want you to meet."


	5. No Rest

As midmorning approached, Lestra lay asleep in bed, a smile on her face. For the first time in many days, her dreams were pleasant. A knock at the door woke her up.

She got up and opened the door to find Koth with a tray of food.

"Morning sleepy-head," he said, as he entered the room. As he set the tray down, he said, "Eat up, we're heading for the ship soon. So, did you enjoy the Flying Foursome last night?"

"Mata Nui! Did I ever!" she replied between mouthfuls of food, "I haven't laughed that hard in years."

"My favorite part," said Koth, "was when Hunjer began juggling the Matoran."

"Now that took some talent," said Lestra, as she finished off the last of her breakfast.

Onric appeared in the doorway. "If you two are finished here," he said, "we should get going. I don't want to get left behind."

"Sure," said Lestra, "let's pay and get going."

"You seem unusually eager today," said Koth, as the two of them followed Onric down the hall. "Any particular reason?"

"Well," Lestra began, "getting my mind off of what happened for awhile helped me put things in perspective. What's past is past," she sighed, "as much as I wish it hadn't, I need to accept that. I have to look at the bright side of things. I mean, I haven't seen you or Tedra Nui in almost fifty years."

Koth smiled, "I'm glad I could help, sister."

* * *

Zorkek yawned as the three companions walked down the streets of Zeriger.

"How much further?" he asked, trying to keep his eyelids open.

"There's an inn just up ahead," said Cedrak. "We can rest there."

As the three progressed through the city, many of those they passed gave Cedrak a suspicious glance. Though he knew he would not come to any trouble, it still bothered him.

"So where's this guy you want us to meet?" asked Trell.

"He's at the inn. Actually, he owns the place."

"Cool, think we could get a special room or something?" asked Zorkek.

Cedrak chuckled, "I seriously doubt that."

They rounded a corner and saw a wooden sign hanging from a tall, three story building. It was shaped like a Burnak and written across it were the words, "The Burrowing Burnak."

"Well, here we are," said Cedrak as they opened the door and went inside.

The main room of the inn was sparsely furnished and even more sparsely populated. A few Matoran sat at one table, talking in hushed tones. A Vortixx and an Aviena sat at another table, engrossed by a game of cards.

A deep green Aquaton backed through one of the doors into the room carrying two mugs. The gangly creature carried the mugs to the Vortixx and Aviena and looked up. Upon seeing the Skakdi, he smiled and shouted, "Cedrak!"

He rushed over to the Skakdi and embraced him in an ash bear hug. "Hey man, how's it going?" he asked.

Cedrak smiled and returned the hug as he replied, "Oh, not bad, could be better though."

"Well, it's great to see ya, pal." Tahlis jumped onto the Aquaton's shoulder and purred as he stroked his head. "Who are your friends here?"

"Trell, Zorkek, this is an old friend of mine, Redizic, the being with all the answers."

"Hey," the Aquaton whispered, "don't go advertising that. Ya know what they'd do to me if they found out."

"I'm just saying," said Cedrak, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes.

Redizic motioned to the other three to follow him.

"So," said Zorkek, "what's an Aquaton like yourself doing on land, and running an inn for that matter?"

"Ah, ya know," Redizic replied, "didn't get along with the clan leader, banished for 'disturbing the peace,' picked up by pirates, fought my way out, and ended up here."

Seeing the amazed look on the Matoran's face, he continued, "I figured I could make a decent living running this place. Just needed to pull a few strings to get in."

Trell turned to Cedrak and whispered, "Doesn't exactly have the best track record, does he?"

"He's a tough character," Cedrak replied, "but once he knows he can trust you, he's probably the best friend a being could ask for."

The four beings made their way down a hallway and entered a small room. When Redizic turned on the lightstone, the others could see it was his office. The gangly being sat down and set his feet on his desk. Cedrak set Tahlis on the floor as he and the others sat down.

"I know ya, Cedrak," Redizic began, "and I can tell. This ain't no social call. What's up?"

"I'm looking for a group of Toa that came through here. I'm not sure when though."

Redizic nodded as the Skakdi continued. "There's a Toa of Fire named Onric, a Toa of Stone named Koth, and a Lightning Toa named Lestra."

"And yer sure they came through here?" asked the Aquaton.

"Unless they jumped off the Eastern Road somewhere in the woods, then yes."

"A'right then." Redizic got up from his chair and locked the door. He moved to stand in front of the Skakdi.

"Ya know this'll hurt, right?" he asked.

Cedrak nodded, "I know, but I need to know where they are."

"Wait, what'll hurt?" asked Zorkek.

"I'll explain in a sec, kid," said Redizic.

Placing his hands on the sides of Cedrak's head, the green being's hands began to glow purple. As they grew brighter, tendrils of power began to snake across the Skakdi and Aquaton's bodies. As the energy increased, Cedrak began to grunt and moan as though he were being beaten by some unseen foe.

Within a few moments, the power began to die down. Redizic pulled his hands away from the Skakdi's head and said, "That's some heavy stuff you got in there, pal."

"Yeah," he wheezed, "yeah, I know."

"Can someone please tell me what just happened?" asked Trell.

"Well, you see, I tried one too many times to climb to the top of the beacon," said Redizic. "Turns out the place don't exactly like visitors. I got zapped by some kinda weird energy in the place, and when I came to, I got some of the beacon's power. I can find anything, as long as I know what I'm lookin' for. But to channel the power, I need someone else who knows what it is, and as you can see, it hurts like Karzahni."

The Aquaton knelt in front of his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I hope ya find her, Cedrak. She seems like a neat gal."

Still wincing, Cedrak nodded as he said, "She is. And thank you."

"Hey, anytime, and you as for you two," he turned to the Matoran, "don't go tellin' everybody about what I can do. I don't want people comin' to me like I'm some kinda fortune teller."

"Have no fear, oh great one, your secret is safe with us," said Zorkek, dramatically. "Now, how about a room for us weary travelers."

"We can't stay," said Cedrak, rising to his feet.

"What, why not?" asked Trell.

"Lestra and the others are -" Suddenly, Cedrak was interrupted by the office's door flying off its hinges.

The four beings turned to see four other beings standing in the doorway, a four armed Cuartan and three Matoran.

"Who in Karzhani are you?" cried Redizic.

The Po-Matoran in the group stepped forward and said, "We're here for Redizic, and I'd advise the rest of you to stay out of this."

Cedrak stepped over to the Matoran and stared down at him. "And what makes you think you can get away without a fight?" he asked.

"I'd advice staying out of this," said the Po-Matoran, even as his body began to change. Within moments, the Matoran had grown into an eight-foot tall Steltian bruiser. "Because you don't know who you're dealing with."


	6. Almost

Cedrak dove to one side, narrowly avoiding the Shivri-turned-Steltian's fist. As the shape shifter approached, Cedrak quickly took stock of the other's situations.

Zorkek was locked in a duel with a Ga-Matoran who moved with all the deadly grace of a trained assassin. The two daggers she wielded seemed more than enough to fend off Zorkek's claws. Trell, lacking any effective melee weapon, had been forced to use his disk launcher to defend himself from the Le-Matoran who had attacked him. Redizic had pulled a pair of armored gauntlets seeming out of nowhere and was fending off the Cuartan whose only strategy seemed to be rushing the lithe creature and hoping one of his four fists would hit.

Cedrak took in all this in a matter of seconds and dodged behind Redizic's desk. He notched three arrows to his bow and waited. As soon as he heard the desk move slightly, he leapt up and released the arrows at the Shivri. The being howled in pain as Cedrak rushed past him. He leapt at Trell, grabbed the Matoran, and tucked into a roll, throwing up a force field as he went.

He let go of the Matoran and said, "Any ideas, Trell?"

Trell replied, "If you can keep them all away from me, I can probably end this."

Cedrak looked surprised. "You think so?"

Trell nodded. "After hanging around Zorkek for a few hundred years, you learn new ways to protect yourself."

"Alright." In one fluid, Cedrak dropped the force field and grabbed the Le-Matoran that was trying to get through. He hurled him at the nearest wall and pinned him there with a few well placed arrows. Too late, he turned and saw the Shivri's fist aimed at his head. He flew through the air and landed hard, sprawling out on the ground. He looked up and saw the Shivri closing in, when suddenly, he froze solid.

Cedrak looked back at Trell just in time to see him catch a Kanoka disk. The Skakdi looked around; all four of their assailants were frozen in large chunks of ice.

He got up and walked over to the others. "Are you guys alright?" he asked.

Redizic nodded, "Yeah, thanks to your friend here. He shot one disk, and they all froze up."

Cedrak turned to the Ko-Matoran as he picked up a still scared Tahlis. "You only used one disk?"

"Yes, I did," Trell replied. "I shot it so it would ricochet between them and then fly back to me."

"He's a whiz with the launcher," said Zorkek. "There was one time we were "

"Tell me later," said Cedrak. "We need to get going." He turned to Redizic. "Thanks again," he said.

"No thank you, my friend," said the Aquaton. "If it weren't for you, they woulda caught me."

"I hope I'll see you soon," said Cedrak, extending his fist.

Redizic returned the gesture. "Same here."

The Skakdi and Matoran rushed out into the street.

"Why are we running?" asked Zorkek.

"Lestra's getting on a ship," said Cedrak, "and it's about to leave. We need to hurry."

* * *

Lestra stood on the stern of the ship, The Northern Star, gazing back at the city of Zeriger. So now at last, she was going home; home to Tedra Nui.

"It seems like forever," she said to herself. She had had many adventures in her search for her teammates, but she had lost so much in return. When she disappeared from Tedra Nui, she lost her home and her friends. As she had wondered the world, she had slowly lost hope that she would ever find her brothers. But when she had finally found them, she had lost that which she cherished the most: love.

"Cedrak," she whispered, "I wish things could have been different. I wish we had met some other time, some other way."

_Cedrak rushed through the streets, quickly outstripping his companions._

She turned, her eyes downcast, as she heard the ship's horn sound a long deep note. "Maybe things could have been different; maybe you'd still be alive."

_He pushed past a group of Vortixx, desperation filling his eyes._

The crew raised the gangplank as the ship began to move. "I know you would not want me to stay and grieve."

_He saw the ship and sprinted even faster, his lungs exploding in his chest._

The ship left the dock and headed for the open ocean. "You'd want me to be happy, to move on."

_He ran down the dock, knocking over a pile of boxes._

Lestra made her way to the ship's bow. "I love you, Cedrak, but I need to accept that you're gone."

_His breath wheezing from his lungs, he reached the end of the dock._

The ship reached the end of the harbor and moved into the open ocean. "Goodbye, Cedrak. Goodbye."

_Cedrak stood at the end of the dock, his breaths coming in heavy gasps. He reached out with his hand, "Lestra "_

_He stared at the ship as it left the harbor, carrying Lestra with it. His lip began to tremble, and his knees gave way beneath him. As he began to choke on the tears that sprung from his eyes, he buried his face in his hands._

_Trell and Zorkek ran up to him, panting as they came. "Cedrak?" asked Trell. "What happened?"_

_"She's gone," he sobbed. "She's gone."_

_

* * *

_

"Let 'im rest, you two," said Redizic. "He needs to be alone for a bit."

"Thanks for letting us stay, Redizic," said Trell as the three of them made their way to the Burrowing Burnak's great room.

"Hey, it's the least I can do after what you three did for me."

"What happened to those creeps anyway?" asked Zorkek.

"Turns out they're a troop of traveling entertainers called the Flying Foursome. They travel all over and rip off the people they entertain. Guess they somehow heard about my abilities and were going to blackmail me in order for them to keep quiet."

"Good thing we were here to help," said Trell as they all sat at one of the table.

"So, would someone mind telling me who this Lestra is that Cedrak keeps talking about is?" asked Zorkek.

The Aquaton and Ko-Matoran both explained what had happened to their Skakdi friend over the past few weeks.

"Wow," said Zorkek as they finished the story, "and all this time, I thought they'd just gotten separated or something."

"So, what now?" asked Trell. "I want to help him, but, if we don't even know where they're going "

Redizic replied, "Well, when I was in Cedrak's head, I saw that they were going to an island called Tedra Nui."

"Yeah," said Zorkek, "but we don't know where that is."

"That's why they invented maps," Redizic replied.


	7. Hope Rekindled

"So, we're all in agreement?" said Trell. Zorkek and Redizic nodded in assent.

With that, the three of them entered Cedrak's room. The Skakdi was sitting on his bed, a despondent look on his face. Tahlis was curled up in his lap, sleeping soundly. He looked up as his friends entered the room.

"She was so close," he said. "Had I been just a bit faster..." His voice trailed off as he began to cry silently once more.

Trell sat beside him and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Cedrak," he said, "we might not know what you're feeling right now, but we're here for you."

Cedrak looked up at his friends and said, "Thank you, Trell. But it's no use now. She's gone, and I don't know where she is."

"Actually, my friend, I think we do," said Redizic. With that, he pulled a parchment map from behind his back and laid it out on the table in Cedrak's room. Several lines and circles were drawn across various parts of the map.

"We all know she came from Tedra Nui," he said. "Here's Zeriger," he pointed to a point on the Southern Continent's coast. "And here is the island of Tedra Nui."

Cedrak's eyes lit up as he looked at the point on the map. The island was far out from the coast, set apart from any other land mass.

Cedrak looked up at his friends. "Thank you, my friends. Now that I have a direction, I know what I have to do. I won't ask you to -"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous!" said Trell. "Of course we're coming with you."

"Yeah," continued Zorkek, "we didn't come this far with you just to stop now."

"Same goes for me, pal," said Redizic. "I need some adventure, too."

"But what about the inn?" asked Cedrak.

"Already sold it," said the Aquaton. "I've had someone wanting to buy the place for months, anyway."

"So, what's our plan?" asked Cedrak.

"Well," said Trell, "we checked the ship schedules, but there isn't another ship headed in that direction for another week."

"Fortunately," said Redizic, "I know someone who can help with that."

The Aquaton led the three others through the streets of Zeriger to a less savory part of town. Here, the streets and buildings were even more chaotic than the rest of the city. Finally, he stopped in front of a small hut. A rotten wooden door hung slightly off its hinges, creaking in the breeze.

"Where are we?" asked Cedrak.

"The guy who lives here," said Redizic, "is probably the most powerful being in the city."

"Then why does he live in this dump?" asked Trell.

"Keeps him under the radar, and there's one thing you should know though," said Redizic. "Jagrin's a bit unstable."

"Well, thanks for letting us know," Zorkek humphed.

The door creaked open on its own, and a voice from the inside said, "Come in."

The four beings entered the hut and found themselves in a small room, poorly furnished. A small being sat off to one side, shadows falling over his body.

"What have we here?" asked the being, his voice creaking almost as much as his front door.

"Yes, Jagrin, we're here to ask a -" said Redizic.

"Of course, Redizic, you want me to do something for you. Why else would you be here?" replied the small being.

"Um, pardon me for asking," said Cedrak, "but how exactly can you help us?"

The small being turned his bright orange eyes towards the Skakdi. After a few moments, a grin began to slide across his lizard-like face.

Jagrin laughed quietly, "Hehehe, a Skakdi in love with a Toa, hehehe. Oh, that's rich."

"Hey," said Zorkek, "we came to do business, not be laughed at for - Gah!"

The Po-Matoran suddenly flew off the ground and floated upside down in the air. Trell and Cedrak just stared their friend as he clawed at the air.

"Amusing friends, you have here, Redizic," said Jagrin. "They've got more pluck than I would have thought had I just been looking at them. So," he turned his attention to Cedrak, "you need to get to Tedra Nui, as soon as you can, eh?"

"How did you know?" asked Cedrak.

"Ah, you know, telepathy, mind control, that sort of thing," replied the small creature.

"Would you mind putting Zorkek down?" asked Redizic.

The small being looked a bit surprised, as though he had forgotten about the floating Matoran. "Certainly," he said, releasing his telekinetic hold on Zorkek.

"Now, Redizic," he continued, "you know I don't work for free, and since I know everything in your head, I'll need to ask your friends here."

"What do you mean?" asked Trell, as he helped Zorkek up.

"Jagrin doesn't accept anything physical for payment," said the Aquaton. "All he takes is information. It has to be stuff he hasn't heard before, too."

"So," said Jagrin, "tell me something I don't know. Though, it might be kinda hard for you. An old Arlon like myself has seen and heard a lot."

"Uh," began Trell.

"I know that," replied Jagrin, receiving the information telepathically.

"How about -" Zorkek started.

"Nope," said Jagrin.

"How about this?" asked Cedrak, as his eyes narrowed slightly in concentration.

Jagrin reached into Cedrak's mind again, and his eyes grew wide.

His mouth dropped slightly before he said, "A Great Being?"

Cedrak nodded.

The reptilian creature sat still for a few moments before his smile returned.

"Redizic," he said, "I think I've found sufficient payment. So, you need a ship to Tedra Nui. One moment please."

Jagrin closed his eyes, a look of deep concentration on his face.

After a few moments, he opened his eyes and said, "A ship will leave tomorrow at noon. The captain, who will be at Wharf 14, will be a Steltian elite. When you find him, ask him where he is going. He will tell you Metru Nui. If you ask him if he will take you to Tedra Nui, he will say no, but offer to pay him in advance, and he will assent."

"How do -" began Trell.

"Oh it's quite simple, really," replied Jagrin. "I simply use some telepathy, mental detection, a little mind control, some persuasion, and a little bit of telekinesis to make sure that it all happens just that way. I've never been wrong before, and I'm not now."

He turned to Cedrak. "Thank you for that delightful tidbit. Rest assured; I'm excellent at keeping secrets."

He whipped his gaze over to Zorkek. "Actually, lots of people take me seriously." He smiled.

As the four beings left the hut, Jagrin called after them, "I wish you all good luck on your voyage."

When they reached the Burrowing Burnak, Trell turned to Cedrak and asked, "Would you care to tell us what exactly you told Jagrin that he found so fascinating?"

"Certainly," said Cedrak, "but over some of Redizic's famous Madu brew. I could drink a river right now."


	8. An Outcast's Tale

Since the inn was technically Redizic's until the following morning, he made his way to the kitchen and tapped out four mugs of his brew. He passed it to his companions as they sat down at one of the main room's tables. Cedrak gave Tahlis a piece of Bula and began his tale.

* * *

About fifteen thousand years ago, (he said) I was travelling through the Northern Continent, taking to the back county. I passed by a large cave, when I heard some noises coming from the inside. I peeked into the cave and saw lights coming from the back.

As I got closer, it became apparent that a battle was going on. Thankfully, the cave didn't go very deep, and I soon found the source of the commotion. Rounding a bend, I saw two beings locked in combat. I hid behind a rock to see what would happen. After all, it's best not to get involved with someone else's fight for no good reason.

One of the beings was a giant, fire breathing dragon. The scales that covered its hide resembled Kanohi and had it been lying still, one might have mistaken it for just a pile of masks.

The other being was much smaller, only about the size of a Toa. He seemed to be a very odd being, for he had virtually no armor and wore a white robe that fell to his ankles. In addition to this, he also gave off a radiance that was almost supernatural. He met the dragon's breath with blasts of energy from the two-bio long sword he wielded and, when not dodging the creature's claws, struck it with blows to its hide that sent sparks into the air.

I watched them for a few minutes, but it soon became painfully obvious that the smaller being was starting to falter. Finally, the dragon landed a particularly heavy blow to the being that sent him flying across the chamber and landed near me.

I ran up to the being and threw up a force field. I knew with this creature's strength I might not be able to hold it long, but I had to try. I quickly hit the being with my eyebeams, which by the way can heal injuries.

He looked up at me and asked, "Can you fight?"

"I'm kinda handy with a bow," I replied. I poured more willpower into my force field as the dragon tried to force its way through.

"What is this thing?" I asked.

The being stood up and said, "It is a Kanohi dragon, a Rahi that is far too dangerous to live and should never have been created. Here," he held out his hand, "give me your bow."

I pulled the bow off my back and handed it to him. As he held it, a glow spread from his hands down the length of the weapon, and when it dimmed, he gave it back to me.

"This bow will now grant you all the arrows you will ever need," he said. "Simply imagine the arrow and pull back on the string. The arrow will appear on the string. Now, help me rid the land of this menace."

I quickly dropped my force field, and we once more engaged the creature. After it became apparent that simple arrows would not pierce this thing's hide, I decided to try some trick arrows. It seemed I could only produce trick arrows that I had seen in the past, but I had come across many over the years. I quickly found two arrows that were very effective against the beast.

The first emitted an ultrasonic frequency that seemed to give the dragon a headache, thus making it harder for him to attack. The second exploded with an extremely cold substance, and it roared in pain when I hit it with one of those.

Several ice arrows and energy blasts later, the dragon was dead. I stood breathing heavily, just staring at the creature. I turned to the other being and, for the first time, noticed a second corpse further back in the cave. When I investigated, I found it was another Kanohi dragon.

"Yes," said the being, "there were two living in this cave. The villagers had apparently only seen one at a time, so I was unprepared to fight them both. Had you shown not shown up," he walked up to me, "the second one would have probably killed me. Thank you."

"You're welcome," I said, "I do what I can to help. Considering what my species has become, it's not easy."

"So, you too are an outcast, shunned for doing what you know is right."

I looked at the being uncertainly. "I guess so," I said, "but who banished you?"

The being turned and sighed, "My name is Unremitting Truth, and I was banished by the Great Beings."

At first, I could not believe my ears. A Great Being? Here, standing beside me?

Before I could think, I blurted out what anyone would have asked in my situation, "Why were you banished?"

I immediately regretted it. I never liked telling people why I was shunned by my people; I thought he probably felt the same. But, I was wrong. He seemed almost eager to tell me.

"You know of the Zyglak, correct?" he asked. I nodded in assent. "When we created them and saw what we had made, most of the others wanted to destroy them, so that no one would know of our mistakes. However, I knew that, mistakes or not, these were living sentient beings, and we had no right to take their life. So, I hid them in the darkest regions of the universe, away from the other Great Beings' reach. This did not sit well with the others, but they said nothing. But when I began to tamper with the World Within, then I really made them mad."

"The World Within?" I asked him.

"That is what we called your universe, but I'm afraid I can't tell you why. When I began traversing the World Within and destroying threats such as these dragons, the other Great Beings felt I was violating our status as creators. They told me that I was no longer welcome in their company, that the gates of our lands were closed to me. Only one stood by me, Kind Benevolence. Though she went along with the others, she would secretly send me messages telling me where serious threats were located. But those have been few and far between, as she does not what to appear like she was helping an outcast. For millennia, I have tried to keep this world safe from the mistakes my kind and others have made." He sighed, "I just wish they could see the good I'm doing."

Needless to say, I was blown away from what I heard.

"So what do you tell people when you help them? That you're an outcast?"

He shook his head. "No, I simply tell them that I've been sent by the Great Beings. It's much easier that way."

"But you're also lying," I replied.

He sighed. "I know, and I wish I didn't have to. But I can't just sit by and let innocent beings be killed."

"At least your heart is in the right place," I said.

I turned to go, but he called me back. "As thanks for saving me, I wish to give you this." He pulled the cloak from his back. "This will grant you the power of invisibility. Simply wrap it around whatever you wish to be unseen and will the cloth to disappear."

I gaped at the cloak in my hands and said, "I don't know what to say."

Truth smiled and said, "Think nothing of it. A cloak is a small price for one's life."

* * *

As Cedrak finished his tale, the others just sat around in shock.

"You saved the life of a Great Being?" asked Zorkek.

Cedrak nodded and said, "I still can hardly believe it myself, even after all these years."

"An outcast Great Being," said Trell. "Wow."

After a moment of silence, Redizic said, "Well, I say we all get some sleep. Remember, we leave at noon tomorrow."


	9. Going Home

Lestra stood at the bow of The Northern Star, peering out over the ocean. The rhythm of the wind and waves had a soothing effect on her as she watched the sunlight dance on the ocean.

Her thoughts were turned towards Tedra Nui, the home she had left some fifty years ago.

"I wonder how much has changed?" she thought. She thought of Tedra-Koro, the small island's one village, where she and her team had lived most of their lives, as Matoran and as Toa. She could see it as she remembered it; the stone buildings that wrapped around the island's bay, the two guard towers that stood guard at the harbor's mouth, the temple that stood above the village on the top of the island's mountain.

"Land ho!" came a call from up above. Lestra's heart jumped with excitement. She peered out over the ocean and smiled as a thin strip appeared on the horizon.

"Home," she said, "I'm finally home, but," her smile faded, "if only he were here to see it."

She sighed. "I can never forgive Onric for what he did," she thought, "but I have to accept that he's gone. Why can't I keep him off my mind?"

* * *

The suns were setting when the ship pulled into the harbor. The buildings glowed a dull orange as twilight engulfed the sky.

The three Toa Tedra left the boat and made their way down the dock. Lestra looked around at her home.

"It hasn't changed a bit," she thought, smiling to herself.

A shout came from down the largely empty street, and the Toa turned to see a figure running towards them. In the dim of evening, it was hard to tell who it was, but as he got closer, recognition dawned on the Toa.

"Tivari!" cried Lestra as she and Koth rushed to meet him.

Koth reached the Toa of Gravity first and caught him in an ash bear hug.

"You came back!" cried Tivari, as he returned the hug.

They released each other, and Tivari caught up Lestra. All three Toa were laughing aloud as Onric joined them. He smiled at his brother as he shook his hand.

"So," said Tivari, "how've you guys been?"

"Well," began Onric, "after we -"

"Before we get into any storytelling," interrupted Koth, "I say we go get something to eat. I could eat a Kikinalo right now."

"Sounds good to me," said Lestra. The four Toa made their way down the streets of Tedra-Koro and entered the Tedra Inn, run by an old Ba-Matoran named Dreni. Dreni was sitting behind his reception desk as he saw the Toa enter. A smile crossed his aged Rau.

"So the heroes have returned," he said. He gestured to the hallway where the inn's rooms were located. "Take Room 22 for the night," he said. "I suspect you four have a lot to catch up on and don't want anyone poking their masks into your little reunion. I'll bring you something to eat shortly."

"Thank you, Dreni," said Onric.

As they entered the room and were out of the gloom of the night, Lestra noticed something for the first time.

"Tivari," she exclaimed, "what happened to your arm?"

* * *

"There he is," said Redizic.

The four beings stood at the head of Wharf 14 where Jagrin had said their ship would be waiting.

"That's him?" asked Zorkek, a bit of bewilderment on his voice.

"Well, he's the only Steltian elite around," replied Cedrak.

The being they were referring to was carrying a pair of boxes onto his ship, though calling it a ship was a bit of an overstatement. Scarcely 40 feet long, its wooden siding showed a desperate need for new material. Its single mast sported an old sail whose edges were beginning to tatter.

And the captain himself was not any more promising. His armor was faded and, in places, rusty. One of eyes was dim, and he walked with a limp.

"Well, here's hoping," said Redizic, as he walked down the wharf. The others looked at each other and followed.

"Ahoy there," said Redizic as he approached the Steltian.

The being looked up. "What can I do for ye fine gentlemen?" he asked, a nautical twang on his voice.

"We're looking for a ship that can take us to Tedra Nui, and we were told you could help us," said Trell.

"Tedra Nui, eh?" the Steltian replied. "Well, it's a bit far outta the way. I'm bound for Metru Nui, ye see."

"Believe me," said Redizic, "I can make it worth your while." The Aquaton reached into his pack and removed a small bundle. He unwrapped it discreetly and showed the Steltian its contents.

"Mata Nui, bless me!" said the Steltian, surprise filling his face.

"So, do we have a deal?" asked Redizic, extending his hand.

"Consider it done, me friend," said the Steltian. "By the way, the name's Enguus."

"Redizic," said the Aquaton, "and this is Trell, Zorkek, and Cedrak. And the little guy on Cedrak's shoulder is Tahlis."

"Pleased to make yer acquaintance. Come on lads, help me load up the ship, and we'll be on our way."

"Which pile is yours?" asked Cedrak, looking around at the cargo stacked on the wharf.

"Everything from that post to the end of the dock," said Enguus, as he carried another pair of crates onto his ship.

"Somehow, I don't think this will all fit," said Zorkek, as he began rolling a wooden barrel down the dock.

"Hey, he's the captain," said Trell, "and he gives the orders."

"I just hope the boat doesn't sink in transit," said Cedrak. "That would be bad."

The others laughed as they began bringing boxes, crates, and all manner of cargo onto the ship. Enguus stayed aboard the boat and took it all below deck, but no matter how much they brought on, there always seemed to be more room. Finally, all the cargo was aboard.

"Alright lads, raise the gangplank, throw off the lines, and let's be on our way!" Enguus cried from the helm.

The Cedrak untied the ship and jumped aboard as Trell and Zorkek pulled up the wooden ramp. Redizic unfurled the sail and the ship turned to leave the harbor.

Once they were out in the open ocean, Enguus turned to the others and said, "Let me know when the harbor's outta sight."

Trell turned to Cedrak, a weary look in his eye. Cedrak nodded to his friend as he pulled out his bow and notched an arrow. The two of them walked to the ship's stern and watched the land pass by. Within a few minutes, the harbor's mouth had disappeared from view.

"The harbor's out of sight, Enguus," said Trell.

"Finally!" cried the Steltian. Cedrak whirled around, half expecting to see him pull out a weapon of some kind. However, the crimson being's attention was turned to the steering wheel in front of him. He grasped one spoke and pulled, and then another, which he turned. Finally, he grasped the center of the wheel and turned it. Immediately, Cedrak could hear the sound of machinery under the deck, and his bow fell to his side as he watched what was happening.

The sail rolled up all on its own and folded into the mast which then sunk beneath the deck. The steering wheel folded in on itself and then descended below the floor. A board rose up from the deck and flipped over, revealing a panel of buttons and switches. Finally, the ship's wooden exterior melted away as it changed from an old wooden sloop to a sleek metallic ship.

Enguus turned to his passengers and said, "My friends, welcome aboard the Silver Gate!"


	10. Arriving

"Tivari, what happened to your arm?" asked Lestra. Onric and Koth both followed Lestra's gaze, and their eyes grew wide in surprise.

The Toa of Gravity's right arm was shaped differently than his left, and it was black, unlike the rest of his body which was purple. As they looked closer, they saw that it had no organic tissue; it was completely robotic.

"Oh, this," said Tivari, raising his arm. He flexed his robotic fingers before continuing. "It happened about twenty years after you left, Lestra. I was out in the woods when I was attacked by a pack of Muaka. I was able to fight them off, but not before one of them took off my arm."

"That's terrible!" cried Lestra.

"What were Muaka doing hunting in a pack?" asked Onric.

Tivari shrugged. "Don't ask me," he said, "but Turaga Uren did say he felt some strange thought patterns that day. But anyway, after making it back to Tedra-Koro, I built this robotic arm, and to tell you the truth, I like it."

"Can it do anything?" asked Koth. "You know, like blow stuff up?"

Tivari chuckled, "Well, I did put some interesting features in it."

Tivari's hand pulled back into his forearm, which then expanded at various points, forming some kind of blaster.

"This fires bolts of energy," said Tivari. "It's pretty handy if I'm low on elemental energy. I've also got -"

His arm reformed again, forming a claw where his hand would be. "a grappling claw, -"

The claw retreated and was replaced with a blade. "a sword, -"

His hand returned to where it had been. "and some other stuff, but I want to hear what you guys have been up to. You must have had some amazing adventures."

The Toa talked long into the night, telling of their times away from home. As the night wore on, Lestra felt herself growing less and less cheerful; the feeling of elation that had come from arriving home was wearing out. She could feel the grief she had felt when Cedrak had died rising to the surface once more. As the others drifted off to sleep, she sat awake staring out the window at the night sky.

She sighed, "Why? Why can't I move on? He's gone; I have to accept that." A tear slid down her mask. "Mata Nui," she said, "please, somehow, someway, help me to let go."

* * *

"My friends, welcome aboard the Silver Gate!" said Enguus.

Cedrak and the others looked around in shock. The boat had not changed in size or shape, but its appearance had gone from that of a wooden boat in desperate need of repairs to a sleek metallic vessel that looked like it had just been built.

Enguus stood there, smiling at their astonishment. "Yes, I know," he said, "she's a beauty, isn't she? I built her meself." He pressed a few buttons and said, "Now that she's on autopilot, let me give ye the grand tour."

He waved them over to one of the doors on the main deck and showed them inside. As they entered, they could see a giant hulk of machinery staring back at them.

"This is the engine room," said the Steltian. "Her Kanoka powered turbines can propel her at speeds of up to 60 kio per hour. And this," he opened a door on the side wall, "is the cargo bay."

The room they entered was easily twice the size of the boat itself and held more cargo than they could have imagined.

"How can you get a room this big on your boat?" asked Trell.

"Well, to tell ye the truth, we're not on the boat," said Enguus. "This was designed by a friend of mine; it's a pocket dimension. The gate we came through is a portal, and I can make this room as big as I want."

"Wow, Enguus," said Cedrak, "this is really impressive. So, why the old beat up boat illusion?"

"Well, I learned a while ago, that if no one think ye have anything, no one will take it from ye. So, if me boat looks old and small, no one bothers to rob me, as they think I've got nothing."

"So why'd you tell us about it?" asked Redizic.

Enguus smiled. "Well for one, if yer gonna be on me boat, ye'd find out sooner or later, but also, there's something about ye lads that I trust. I mean, Redizic offered to pay me in advance with an Alerisian Sun Crystal, so it's a bit obvious ye lot were willing to trust me."

"He paid you with a what?" asked Zorkek.

"An Alerisian Sun Crystal," said Cedrak. "It's one of the rarest gemstones in the world, found only in the mines of Aleris on the Northern Continent. Redizic, where'd you get something like that?"

"Ah, ya know," the Aquaton replied, "I spent some time as a thief, never bothered to give the stuff I stole back though."

"Now, there's not a whole lot to do on this ship," said Enguus, "but I don't want ye lads just sitting on yer haunches fer the whole voyage."

The five beings spent the rest of the day aboard the ship, fixing a few things, organizing the cargo hold, and setting up the sleeping quarters for the extra travelers.

As night fell over the sea, Cedrak lay awake, stared out the window at the night sky. A pleasant smile spread over his face.

"I'm coming, Lestra," he thought. "Please, I know you think I'm dead, but somehow, wait for me."

* * *

"And so, our heroes have returned!" cried Turaga Uren.

A cheer arose from the Matoran gathered in Tedra-Koro's square. On the podium in the center, the four Toa Tedra stood proudly, waving to the masses below them. The mid morning sun glistened off their armor as they took in the accolades of their people.

"Isn't this great?" asked Koth as he turned to Lestra.

"I suppose," she replied. She turned back to the crowd as Onric began to speak. Yes, she was glad to be received back to her home, but the feeling was so empty. "If only he was here," she thought.

* * *

A ship pulled into the city's harbor. Its single sail was ragged, and its siding was rotting in places. Four beings could be seen walking down the gang plank, but had anyone been there to listen, they would have heard five sets of footsteps.

"Where is everyone?" asked Redizic. "I'd expect a harbor to have a bit more activity."

A cheer rose from the city. Enguus smiled, "You lads go on ahead, I need to get meself checked in at the customs office. I'll probably be on me way in the morning, so I'll say me goodbyes now."

He shook the other beings' hands. "I hope to meet ye all again," he said, "and Cedrak, I hope ye get her back."

The invisible Skakdi replied, "Thank you, my friend. I wish you safe seas and pleasant skies."

The four beings made their way toward the sounds of cheering and found a crowd of Matoran filling the town square.

Suddenly, Cedrak gasped, and his hood slipped from his head. "There she is," he said. "It's her."

The Skakdi began to walk towards the crowd, but Redizic grabbed him by the shoulder and threw the hood back up on Cedrak's head. "Hold up a second, bud. That fire Toa tried to kill you once. He'll probably try to do it again."

Cedrak shook his head as though escaping a trance. "You're right, Redizic," said the Skakdi. "We need to be more subtle about this."

The four friends withdrew from the crowd and disappeared into a nearby alley.

"Alright," said Trell, "so what should we do?"

"Well," said Cedrak, "here's what I'm thinking..."

* * *

Cedrak sat in a clearing in the woodlands, a small fire crackling before him. The sky above glittered with stars as he held an arrow in his hands. If all went as he hoped, Lestra would have it before morning. He saw someone approaching in the woods and instinctively reached for his bow. When he saw it was Trell, he set it back down.

"Did you find her?" asked Cedrak.

Trell nodded. "We did," he said, "grab your stuff and let's go."

Cedrak threw on his cloak and grabbed his bow. Tahlis leapt onto his shoulder, and the three of them made their way to Tedra-Koro.

"This scene seems familiar," said Trell as he and the invisible Skakdi crept through the streets of the city.

"It does, indeed," said Cedrak. Tahlis fought in Trell's grip, trying to get away. Cedrak became visible just long enough to comfort his pet and calm him down.

"It's okay, Tahlis. Trell's just going to keep you for a little bit; I'll be back soon, okay?" The Brakas seemed to understand as he settled down into the Matoran's arms.

Cedrak became invisible once more and snuck around the last corner.

In the building before him, a single window shone with light. He waited for a moment, then he tossed a rock at the window. It clattered against the clear crystal panes, and after a few moments, a figure appeared at the window.

As Lestra opened the window and peered out into the night, Cedrak thought she had never looked more beautiful. Her Kanohi glistened in light of the moon, her armor shone in the starlight, and the light in her eyes made him feel warmer than he had in days.

"Is someone out there?" asked Lestra.

He wanted to shout out to her, tell her he was here, that he had come back for her; but he knew if he did, he would be found out. Instead, he reached into his cloak and pulled out the arrow he had prepared for this moment. He notched it to his bow, drew back, and fired.


	11. Reuniting

Lestra sat the desk in her room, her head in her hands. After the ceremony in the square, she had retired to her old home which she found exactly as she had left it. Even the thrill of the ceremony combined with the delight of being in her old home again could not suppress the feeling of despair that was creeping over her.

"If only -" she thought and then once more burst into tears. "Why?" she thought. "Why did I have to fall in love? Why did he have to die? Why can't I let go? Why did -"

She stopped. She heard something strike against her window. Wiping the tears from her mask, she walked over and opened the window, staring out into the night.

"Is someone out there?" she asked.

Getting no response, she began to close the window, when something flew by her face. She gasped and jumped back in surprise. She looked out the window again, but still, she saw no one. She looked back into her room and saw an arrow stuck in the far wall of her room.

Her eyes widened. "No," she thought, "it can't be."

She rushed over to the object and wrenched it from the wall. She looked the object up and down; it looked just like Cedrak's arrows. She noticed that a tassel was hanging from the arrow's center. She grasped it and pulled. When she did so, the tail end of the arrow popped open, revealing a hollow interior. Looking inside, she saw within was a rolled up piece of parchment. She pulled it out and unrolled it. And as she read what was written there, her eyes began to water, and she sat down in astonishment.

"Dear Lestra,  
Please know that I am alive and well. I do not know to whom I owe my life, but know that I have come back. I have come back to find you. And know that I still love you with all my heart. I only hope that you still feel the same. I will be waiting in the woods in the clearing marked on the back of this note. Please Lestra, come find me.  
Cedrak"

Lestra sat in shock as her tears dripped onto the note in her hands. "He's alive?" she thought. As she let the knowledge sink in, her heart began to fill with hope. Somehow, someway, he had come back. She flipped the note over and looked at the map.

She smiled. "I know where that is," she thought. She stuffed the map into her pack and rushed out the door, as her eyes alight with joy. As she rushed through the streets, she passed several night guards, who all saluted as she passed, but she hardly noticed them. All that filled her mind was what lay ahead.

* * *

Cedrak sat by his fire once more. Trell had gone back to the Tedra Inn where Zorkek and Redizic were waiting. Tahlis lay next to his master, sleeping contentedly in the fire's glow.

Cedrak stroked his back, and the monkey stirred in his sleep. "Mata Nui," said the Skakdi, "please let her come. Please let her "

He stopped. He heard something approaching in the woods. Instinctively, he threw his cloak on and hid himself and Tahlis under its invisible shield. As the figure drew closer, Cedrak tried to make out who it was. He hoped with all his heart that it was Lestra, but, having been hunted for so many years, he knew he could not be too careful.

At last, the figure emerged from the trees, and the Skakdi smiled. There stood Lestra, her armor gleaming in the fire light; much as it had on the night he first realized he loved her.

He smiled as an idea formed in his head. He set Tahlis on the ground and shooed him over towards the Toa.

Lestra bent over and picked up the Brakas. "Well hello, Tahlis," she said, "is your master around?"

With her attention on the monkey, Cedrak snuck around behind her. He smiled as he became visible and placed a hand on her shoulder. She gasped as she whirled around and found herself face to face with him. They stood still for a moment, just gazing into each other's eyes.

Finally, Lestra whispered, "Is is this a dream?"

Cedrak took her hand in his. "Does it feel like one?" he asked.

Tears sprang to Lestra's eyes as they had so many times. Cedrak wrapped his arms around her as she leaned against his chest. Neither said a word, for they both knew what the other was feeling at this moment. All the emotion that had welled up that night not so long ago came flooding back; they wanted this moment to last forever.

But unknown to either of them, a figure crouched in the woods nearby. He stared at the sight before him, shocked at what he saw.

"I can't believe this," he thought. "She really does love him." The figure sat there for a few more moments before retreating back the way he had come. Once out of sight of the clearing, Koth activated his Kakama and raced back to Tedra-Koro. As he ran, he pondered what he should do.

"I can't ask Lestra to go through that pain again," he thought. "But, what if Onric finds out?"

* * *

Morning broke over Tedra Nui, filling her window with light. Lestra lay on her bed, a smile on her face as dreams filled her mind with peace. A knock on her door woke her. She got up from her bed and made her way to the door. Upon opening it, she found Koth standing at the morning light.

"Why are you up so early?" asked Lestra, wiping the sleep from her eyes.

"I need to talk to you," he said as he entered her home.

He sat at her desk as she sat on her bed. He sighed before saying, "I saw you met Cedrak in the woods last night."

"What?" cried Lestra. "How did you know?"

"I was out for late night run when I saw you running towards the woods. I knew you don't normally go into the woods at night, so I followed you. When I first saw you two, I couldn't believe my eyes. I was tempted to run in there and 'save' you again, but the way you looked at each other told me that you didn't need saving."

"You didn't tell Onric, did you?" asked Lestra, dread creeping across her face.

Koth shook his head. "I knew I couldn't talk reason with him, so I just went home. I haven't told anyone."

"Koth, promise me. Promise me you won't tell anyone."

"I promise, Lestra. Believe me; I don't want to see you go through that pain again." He sighed, "I just wonder how long we can keep it a secret."

Another knock came at the door. Puzzled, Lestra answered and found a Ko-Matoran standing on her doorstep.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Ma'am, my name's Trell," said the Matoran. "You don't know me, but we have a mutual friend, Ced-" He saw Koth sitting inside the house and paused, "-rak..."

Lestra motioned the Matoran inside. "Don't worry about him," she said, closing the door. "He knows about Cedrak, but he's not going to tell anyone, right?"

"Absolutely not," said Koth, extending his hand. "The name's Koth, pleased to meet you."

Trell stared at him and asked, "Aren't you the one who tried to kill Cedrak in the first place?"

Koth's smile dropped as he replied, "Look, no doubt Cedrak's told you what he thought happened, but please hear my side of the story. I didn't want Onric to kill Cedrak, but he hates Skakdi more than anything else in this world. If I or Lestra had tried to intervene, he'd have, at the very least, hurt us really bad. I'm glad to know that he's alive, but I don't blame him if he hates me for what I failed to do."

"Oh, he doesn't hate you, Koth," said Trell. "He -"

An explosion rocked the house, cutting him off. The three beings rushed out the door and looked towards the sound's source. A column of smoke was rising from the city center, and the sounds of destruction could be heard.


	12. A New Foe Rises

The three began to move, but Koth held out his hand. "You'd better stay here, Trell. We'd be best to handle this."

Trell shook his head as he pulled out his disk launcher. "I'm no Toa," he said, "but I can fight."

Koth saw the determined look in his eyes and said, "Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you."

The three of them rushed down the street, and as they passed the Terda Inn, Redizic and Zorkek ran out to meet them. Introductions were made as they ran against the flood of Matoran streaming away from the sounds of battle. When they reached the sight of the explosion, they stopped and stared in amazement.

A giant crater dominated the city square with smoke still rising from the center. From inside the crater, dozens of creatures were pouring forth. Rahi of all kinds were leaping, crawling, and flying out and demolishing the nearby buildings. A Muaka turned and saw the Toa and those with them. It leapt at them, and Koth shouted, "Scatter!"

The others leapt away as a stone hand emerged from the pavement and grabbed the Rahi midair. As she rolled to one side, a Nui-Rama saw Lestra and swooped down on her. She let a bolt of energy fly from her hands, striking the insect. The moment the energy struck the creature, it ceased to move, and as it crashed to the ground, bits of its body flew apart. Lestra moved to examine the creature and found that it had no organic tissue. It was a robot.

She quickly stunned a Tarakava that ran at her and reached out with her power. She sensed an above normal amount of electricity flowing through all the Rahi around, meaning that they were all robots.

She ran up to Koth, who was fending off a Visorak, and pumped a thousand volts into the creature.

"Koth, they're all robots," she exclaimed.

"How do you know?" he asked.

"I can sense the electricity flowing in them. It's way above what there is in normal beings."

"Lestra, look out!" cried Koth.

The Toa of Lightning turned around just in time to see a Kane-Ra and a rock lion lunging at her. She raised her arms to protect herself, but just as the Rahi had reached her, they were blown to one side by an energy bolt and a ball of fire.

The two Toa turned to see Onric, his palms still smoking, and Tivari, his blaster still glowing, standing a few bio away.

"Are we late for the party?" asked Tivari.

Onric looked across the field and asked, "Who're the Aquaton and the Matoran over there?"

Lestra jolted another Muaka-bot. "Not sure really," she lied, giving Koth a sideways glance, "they offered to help, and I hated to turn them down."

"Well," said Onric, blasting a chute spider, "I'm not too picky about allies right now, and if a Matoran wants to stay and fight, that's his business."

The Toa were just about to throw themselves into the fray, when the Rahi stopped attacking and retreated to the center of the crater. The smoke had cleared now, and it could be seen that there was a tunnel, leading underground at the base of the hole. And out of that tunnel came another being.

The being that appeared was small in stature, only a head taller than the average Matoran. He seemed old and frail, but he had an air of wisdom about him. Redizic and the Matoran rushed to join the Toa as the being spoke.

"Greeting Toa," he said, his voice wizened and dry, "I do apologize for what my pets did to your city. They get so carried away sometimes."

"Cut the Muaka drool, Oriles!" cried Tivari. "What do you want?"

"Who is this guy?" asked Koth, staring down at the being.

"I am Makuta Oriles," said the being, "the being in charge of your island and those nearby. You three may not know me, for I was only recently given the job, after your previous Makuta disappeared."

"And you've done nothing but bring us trouble," said Tivari.

"Oh come now, I can't help it if one or two of my experiments got out of my labs or if a few Matoran have gone missing over the past year. If anything I should be blaming you, Tivari."

"What's he talking about, Tivari?" asked Lestra.

Tivari unfurled his blade and said, "I'll explain later." He turned to the Makuta and shouted, "Oriles, we're giving you one chance. Leave now, or so help me, I'll finish what I started."

The Makuta smirked and said, "I'll leave, if you hand over the girl." A wave of shock passed over the beings on the crater's lip. "But if you don't, I'm afraid my pets will have to take her from you."

Onric stepped in front of Lestra. "Lestra's not going anywhere," he said.

Oriles nodded, as though he knew that he would get that answer. "So be it."

An instant later, the robotic Rahi were once again rushing out of the crater. This time, however, all their fury was aimed at the Toa and those with them.

At first, the heroes fought well, with heaps of robotic body parts piling up around them, but no matter how many Rahi they defeated, more poured from the crater to take their place. And so slowly but surely, the heroes began to tire.

Redizic caught a Burnak across the face with his armored gauntlet and sent it flying. The excess force from the blow caused him to fall to his knees, panting for breath. A chute spider advanced on him, but was frozen solid by one of Trell's disks, before it could reach him.

The Matoran helped his friend up and asked, "You alright?"

"Yeah," said the Aquaton, punching another Brakas-bot, "just getting a bit tired."

Trell opened his mouth to say something, but stopped short as he stared ahead. Redizic turned to see what his friend was gawking at, and his jaw fell open as well. All the robotic Rahi were once more rushing to the center of the crater, and when they got there, they arranged themselves like a well orchestrated army and began to change.

The Rahi's bodies began to change, with pieces folding in on each other, unlike anything the heroes had ever seen before. The Rahi then latched a hold of each other and began to combine. First, a giant pair of feet formed, followed shortly by two legs, a body, two arms, and a head, and from within the robot, the voice of the Makuta could be heard.

"You may have stripped me of my powers, Tivari," boomed the voice, "but you did not leave me helpless. You have tried my patience long enough, now give me the girl!"

Oriles' giant hand shot down and grabbed a hold of Lestra, pulling her up into the air. The heroes tried to get her out, but no amount of fire bolts or energy blasts would break the Makuta's grip. Within the robot, Oriles smiled and pointed his other hand at the heroes. A glow of energy appeared on palm, and an instant later, a beam of power lanced towards the heroes.

The heroes dove out of the way and began attacking the giant. As bolts of energy and Kanoka disks bounced off the robot's metallic hide, its shoulder plates slid back, and two energy cannons emerged from the openings. The cannons opened fire on the heroes as Lestra looked on in horror. She struggled to free herself, but it seemed her elemental energies were being disrupted, for she could not summon so much as a spark.

She looked and saw Trell and Zorkek get blasted by one of the cannons. Koth activated his Mask of Speed and rushed to catch them, but Oriles blasted the ground in front of him, so it blew up right as he ran over it. Tivari decreased Redizic's personal gravity and the Aquaton bounded up to try to smash open the robot's hide, but before he could reach the giant, Oriles had blasted the Toa of Gravity into oblivion. Cut off from the Toa's power, Redizic plummeted downwards and hit the ground with a sickening thud.

Suddenly, all the heroes began to move, and they flew behind Onric, whose Matatu was glowing brightly.

"Alright, Oriles," cried the Toa of Fire, "let's finish this. Just you and me."

"Ha," laughed the Makuta, "you Toa are all alike. So confident in your abilities, so sure you'll always win. Did it ever occur to you that you just might lose?"

With that, the robot brought his hand down on the Toa, sending him sprawling down the street. He tried to get up, but felt his strength fading fast. He looked up and saw his mask laying on the ground next to him, cracked in two. The Makuta took aim once more with his cannon and fired.

As Onric began to lose his hold on consciousness, time appeared to pass in slow motion. He saw something whiz and connect with the robot's hand that held Lestra. He looked closer. It was an arrow. The beam of energy lanced from the cannon and just before it struck him, a bubble of energy appeared around him. A cloaked figure appeared in front of him, holding its arms out, as though forcing the Makuta's blast back. As the energy faded and the hand holding Lestra exploded, the figure turned to Onric and removed his hood.

"I must be seeing things," Onric thought. "That looks like that Skakdi I killed."

"I am that Skakdi you killed," said the figure, as though he had read his thoughts. He rolled Onric over onto his back and fired his eyebeams at the Toa. Too weak to try to get away, Onric jumped as he felt their healing energy coursing through him. The last thing he heard before the world faded was, "I forgive you, Onric. I forgive you."


	13. Old Friends and New

"How is he?"

"You healed him, so he should be all right."

Onric heard these voices as though they came from a great distance. He felt as though he was rising from a great depth. Slowly, the Toa of Fire opened his eyes. He could see two beings standing near him. As they came into focus, he smiled as he saw Lestra standing to his right. Looking to the other side of his bed, his eyes grew wide at what he saw. A Skakdi was standing at his bedside, staring down at him.

"You I thought " Onric breathed, utter shock on his face.

"Yes," said Cedrak, "I'm the Skakdi you tried to kill."

"But how why " Onric stammered.

Cedrak sighed as he answered the understood question. "I saved you because it was the right thing to do." He paused, "And because I don't let my past cloud my perception of right and wrong."

"My past " Onric murmured. After a moment, he found his voice again and said, "My past is why I tried to kill you." He stammered. "Kleria, the Toa I loved was killed by Skakdi, and when she died in my arms, I swore I'd avenge her, that I'd rid the world of the monsters that had killed her."

"Do you really think that's what she'd want?" asked Cedrak, pity filling his voice. "Do you think she wanted you to become a killer, the very thing that took her away?"

Onric's head drooped forward as tears sprang from his eyes.

"No," he sobbed, "no, she wouldn't. Oh Mata Nui, what have I done?"

Lestra sat on the bed and wrapped her weeping brother in a hug, while Cedrak placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. After a moment, Onric asked, "Lestra, do you really love him?"

Lestra looked her brother in the eyes and said, "I do, Onric, more than anything."

"Onric," said Cedrak, "I can forgive you for what you tried to do to me. All I ask is that you forgive me for what I am."

Onric shook his head. "No, you didn't choose to be a Skakdi; it isn't your fault that Kleria died. I was wrong to let my anger and prejudice lead me to do something so terrible. I know what Lestra went through when I tried to kill you, and I can't ask my sister to go through the same pain that I did." A hint of a smile crossed his lips as he turned towards Cedrak. "I never thought I'd say this, but today the Toa Tedra have a new member, a Skakdi."

* * *

"And so," said Turaga Uren as he stood atop the newly rebuilt podium in Tedra-Koro's square, "we accept Cedrak, the Skakdi, as a friend and hero. Treat him as you would treat any of the Toa who you know, for he has as much honesty and heroism in his heart as any Toa to walk this world "

As Uren continued his speech, Cedrak stood behind the Turaga with the Toa Tedra. Lestra stood next to him, holding his hand. Koth and Tivari cheered with the masses as their new teammate was motioned forward by the Turaga. Onric stood to one side, an incredulous look on his new Kanohi Calix. Never in his life would he have imagined this.

Cedrak looked out into the crowd and waved as he saw Trell and Zorkek among the Matoran masses. He looked further back and saw Redizic at the back of the crowd. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and the Aquaton gave his friend a cheery look. He was happy for him.

As the welcoming and rebuilding ceremony wound down, Cedrak went to speak with his friends.

"I'm glad to see you've found a home, Cedrak," said Redizic.

"You know, you're welcome to stay, if you like," said Lestra.

The Aquaton shook his head. "I couldn't stand being cooped up in one place for very long. Truth be told, Cedrak, I only decided to run the inn back in Zeriger to keep my powers low key. But I'm an adventurer at heart."

"Well," said Cedrak, "I hope you find excitement wherever you go."

"And we need to get going, too," said Trell.

"Yeah," Zorkek continued, "we may have left Anzer Rhun, but we still have jobs to do there. Heh, I can't wait till we try and explain to old Inrin where we've been."

Cedrak sighed as he looked at his friends. "Thank you all for helping me get this far," he said. "I don't know if I'd have made it without you three."

"We're glad we could help a friend," said Trell.

"Hey, and if you're in the neighborhood, look us up," said Zorkek.

* * *

Later that afternoon, the Matoran and Redizic said their goodbyes and boarded a ship back to Zeriger. Cedrak stood on the dock waving farewell and stood there long after the ship had disappeared into the distance. He heard a noise behind him. He turned and saw a stone rat scampering down the wharf. His eyes followed the creature until it passed by another being, Tivari. The Toa of Gravity leaned against the rail as he came up to the Skakdi.

"I know how you're feeling, Cedrak," he said. "I felt much the same way when Lestra left to find the others." He turned to his new teammate. "But don't think that you're losing your friends. You'll see them again."

"I guess you're right," sighed Cedrak. "I mean, I've gained so much."

Tivari motioned down the wharf. "Come on, pal, let's see where the Turaga have you staying."

Cedrak smiled as he made his way through the city. He thought of all he had gained over the past few days: new friends, new adventures. As he entered his new house, he was greeted by the other Toa, Koth and Onric with friendly hellos and Lestra with an affectionate hug. As the sun set over the island, he knew he had finally found what he had always wanted.

"This is my home," he thought.


	14. Epilogue

A stone rat scampered down the streets of Tedra-Koro, following the Toa and Skakdi from the docks. It scampered up the stone wall of Cedrak's house and peered in through the window. Satisfied with what it saw, it turned and hurried down a nearby alley.

Once safely down the alleyway, he moved behind an abandoned crate and reached his hand up to his other hand's wrist. He pressed down on his armor, and it began to fade. Moments later, the illusion of a stone rat was replaced by the reality of a small and very unusual being. Though resembling a stone rat in shape and size, he was covered in a sort of organic looking material. On two of his fingers, a pair of rings could be seen, one yellow and the other green. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and concentrated. Tendrils of power sprung from the rings and enveloped him, and moments later, he blinked out of existence.

Deep in the forest of Tedra Nui, a point of light appeared among the trees. It grew until the strange being could be seen standing on the forest floor. As he opened his eyes, he pressed a button on the device attached to his forearm. A small image appeared above the disk-like object, and as it began to coalesce, he could see in the image what appeared to be another equally strange being.

The being in the image turned towards the creature.

"Any luck?" asked the image.

"Yeah," said the small being, "I think I've found one."

"Make sure you know for sure before you say anything to him," said the image. "You know what you'd have to do if he said no."

The mouse-like being stared at the device for a brief moment as a very unpleasant memory jumped into his mind. "Yeah," he said. "Yeah I do. By the way, how are things with your search?"

"I know there's one here, but I still can't quite pinpoint it."

"Well, keep in touch."

"Right, good luck, Repicheep."

* * *

I was debating whether or not to put this up for the longest time. It might be a bit confusing at this point, but that's my intention. Don't worry, you'll find out what's going on before long, and I can guarentee it's not going to be one of those horrid fanfics where the Mary Sue author shows up and saves the day. I have a very long and detailed reason, complete with backstory, as to why a Narnian mouse is disguised as a stone rat on Tedra Nui. You'll just have to wait for the sequel to find out what it is.


End file.
